Clothes-holding device.



C. E. JACKSN. CLOTHES HOLDING/DEVICE. APPLIUATION' FILED 001222, 1910.

Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

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FIQE.

CHARLES E. JACKSON, F ROCKFO'RD, ILLINOIS.

CLOTHES-HOLDING DEVICE.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. JACKSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockford, in the county of lVinnebago and Sta-te of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Holding Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a clothes-holding device for washing machines of the type disclosed in Patent N o. 964,778, issued July 19, 1910, to John F. Hoglund. The means therein shown for opening the clothes-holding means is not readily accessible when the cover of the machine is raised.

It is the object of my invention to provide a clothes-holding device which is simpler and more conveniently operated than that shown in said patent.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical central section through a washing machine provided with a clothes-holding device embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical central section through the machine. Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views through the holding means in its open and closed positions, respectively.

The washing machine may be of any suitable form, being herein shown as comprising a tub 1 having a cover 2 hinged thereon, said cover being adapted to rest against a stop 3 on the tub when in its open position.

The clothes are moved through the water by means of a lever 4 extending through an opening 5 in the cover 2 and having journals 6 which are mounted in bearing members 7 on the cover 2. A handle 8 is pivoted upon the upper end of the lever 4 for swinging the latter.

rIhe means for holding the clothes is carried at the lower end of the lever 4, and comprises a fixed jaw 9, preferably formed integral with said lever, and a movable jaw 10, which is pivoted, in this instance, upon the xed jaw by means of overlapping ears 11 on said jaws and a pivot pin 12 passing through said ears. A spring 18 coiled around the pivot pin 12 and having its ends engaging the upper ends of the jaws 9 and 10 tends to swing the pivoted jaw 10 into the position shown in Fig. 4 so that the clothes will be held between the jaws.

In order that the pivoted jaw 10 may be held open when desired, I provide a lever 14 pivoted intermediate its ends upon the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 22, 1910.

Patented Apr. I8, 1911. serial No. 588,401.

upper end of said jaw 10, one end of said lever serving as a handle and the other end extending through a slot 15 in the upper end of the fixed jaw 9. A pin 16 fixed in the jaw 9 and extending across the slot 15 is adapted to engage in a notch 17 in the lever 14 for holding the jaw 10 in its open position, as shown in Fig. 3.

In the use yof the washing machine, the cover 2 is swung upwardly into the position shown in dotted lines in F ig. 2, the jaw 10 is locked open, the clothes to be washed are placed between the jaws, and the notch 17 in the lever 14 is raised out of engagement with the pin 16 to permit the jaws to grasp the clothes. The cover 2 is then closed and the lever 4 moved back and forth by means of the handle 8 to carry the clothes through the water until cleansed. Openings 18 may be provided in the jaws 9 and 10 to permitthe water to reach the portion of the clothes lying between the jaws.

It will beseen that when the cover 2 is opened, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, for the insertion or removal of clothes from the gripper, the hand lever 14 is in a position which is readily accessible since it is positioned close to the gripper, the whole forming a very simple and compact structure.

I claim as my invention:

1.l A clothes holding device comprising a fixed jaw, a pivoted jaw, means tending to hold said jaws closed, and a hand iever pivoted on and extending transversely of said pivoted jaw, said hand lever being adapted to engage a part on the fixed jaw for holding said jaws open.

2. A clothes-holding device comprising two jaws having a relative pivotal movement, means tending to hold said jaws closed, a hand lever pivoted on one of said jaws and having a notch therein, and a pin on the other jaw adapted to engage in said notch for holding said jaws open.

3. A clothes-holding device comprising a fixed jaw, a jaw pivoted intermediate its ends to said fixed jaw, a spring tending to move one end of said pivoted jaw against said fixed jaw, and a hand-lever pivoted upon the other end of the movable jaw, said lever being adapted to engage a part on the fixed jaw for holding said movable jaw in its'open position.

4. A clothes-holding device comprising a fixed jaw, a jaw pivoted intermediate its ends to said fixed jaw, a spring tending to move one end of said pivoted jaw against said fixed j aw, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends upon the other end of said pivoted jaw, one end of said lever having a notch therein and the other end serving as a handle, the fixed jaw having a slot therein through which the first mentioned end of said lever projects, and a pin carried by said ixed jaw and extending across said slot, said pin being adapted to engage in said notch for holding the pivoted jaw open.

said ears and pivotally connecting the jaws together, a spring coiled about said pivot pin and having its ends bearing against said jaws at one side of said pivot pin, said spring tending to niove the portions `of said jaws at the opposite side of said pivot pin together, and a hand lever pivoted on one of said jaws at the first mentioned side of said pivot pin, said hand lever being adapt ed to engage a part on the otherjaw for holding said 'jaws open.

CHARLES E. JACKSON.

Witnesses:

E. D. REYNOLDS, HENRY REYNOLDS.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

